16 Ways Pet Ownership Improves Your Health

3. Improve Your Blood Pressure

Get this – owning a pet can significantly improve your blood pressure. Sure, if you really do have problems with your blood pressure, it’s essential to speak to your doctor – but there’s no reason why you can’t supplement your treatment with the love and affection of a pet.

Studies have previously taken stockbrokers – notoriously stressed-out workers – and given half of the participants their own cats and dogs as pets. The other half are left without those pets. Over the time the study took place, the blood pressure of all participants were taken, and it found that loving a pet can actually stabilize a person’s blood pressure.

So how does it work? It’s thought it’s largely a result of pets helping to calm us down after a long day of work. So if you’re thinking about improving your health, why not pay a visit to the local shelter and take home a dog or cat who have been abandoned? Save their life, and improve your own!